A Dream Of Peace
by ImprisonedByTechnology
Summary: On her tenth birthday, Ginny Weasley wakes up with a vague knowledge of a future that has not happened yet. Time Travel.
1. The Other Ginny

Prologue: The Other Ginny.

The ritual was ready before her mind could be sure of what she was doing, but as the runes surrounding her began to light up, she sighed and looked around once more. In front of her, Hermione and Luna stood side by side, each holding a bowl with the last materials for the solemn procedure.

"Are you sure of this, Ginny?" asked the worried voice of Hermione.

Ginny nodded to her and Luna, but she was sure neither of them missed the brief hesitation of the gesture. It didn't matter, she was doing it. Out of the three of them, Hermione would have been the ideal witch to go back and prevent everything from turning out the way it did, but her magic was average, unlike hers.

"You can do this, Ginny, you're strong."

The dreamy voice of Luna gave her confidence in herself and she said the simple words.

"August twelve, nineteen ninety-one."

As she said it, Luna and Hermione placed the content of the bowls over the runes, creating a circle. No more than a second after Hermione finished, Ginny felt herself faint.

* * *

When Ginny opened her eyes, everything around her was pitch black. She tried to look around, but there was nothing in that dark place. Fear came over her.

What if the ritual had failed, and she ended up lost in another dimension? Was this her destination?

Just as she started to panic, something ripped and a light came through an opening.

Claiming the bravery of her family, she stepped forward and ripped the darkness apart. The light enveloped her and she saw her old bedroom in the Burrow.

* * *

Ginny woke up suddenly, startled by the strangest dream ever. She had never been to Hogwarts, but the Castle in her dream was surely the school! But to see it in ruins... The sight was actually sad, even if it was just a bad dream.

Looking out of the window told her it was already dawn, and going back to sleep would be pointless, so she put on her slippers and prepared her clothes for the day.

It was a Sunday, so she could dress a bit more formally, as there were no chores to be done that day. Besides, it was her tenth birthday and she had invited Luna Lovegood, Fay Dunbar and Hannah Abbott to a little reunion in her honor.

With that in mind, she set out a green dress that had belonged to her mother's cousin, Maude Prewett, in her youth. It was old fashioned, but Ginny loved it because of the embroidered sunflowers and it made her remember the times when cousin Maude took care of Ron and her during their toddler years. But that was a long time ago, and now Maude was married and had her own children to take care of.

From the small jewel box her father made for her, she took a pair of peridot earrings, along with a small pendant. She smiled at the thoughtful gift from Aunt Muriel, and the rude but affectionate note she sent with them on her last birthday:

_You are soon to become a lady, start looking like one, child. These were given to me in my ninth birthday, and so they pass to you as the first girl born to our family in more years than I care to remember._

Her father had laughed at Aunt Muriel's note, saying how probable was that she would get more gifts in the following years. And she did, getting a small silver pendant in Christmas and new ribbons for her hair, with more notes full of Aunt Muriel's strange love.

Ginny let the dress, shoes and jewelry over the dresser and took a quick shower. After dressing and combing her hair in a neat braid over her shoulder, she went to the kitchen and found her mother finishing breakfast.

"Happy birthday to me," she said, signaling her arrival with a smile and a hug to her mother.

Mrs. Weasley enveloped her daughter in a hug and whispered congratulations on her ear.

"You're growing too fast, Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley, immediately going back to the bacon over the stove.

"Do you need any help?"

Mrs. Weasley hummed a no and Ginny decided to go outside for a while. For a strange reason, she felt the need to see the Burrow in its totality that morning. Maybe it had to do with the nightmare, or with the way her mother said she was growing fast.

But wasn't that a good thing? If she grew up fast she would be away from her parents, gaining her own money to buy brooms and dresses, letting her father and mother enjoy the peace and remuneration they deserved.

She sat in a wooden chair by the shed, just watching the morning follow its course, until her mother called her back for breakfast.

"Wha'e we 'aving?" asked Ron in the middle of a yawn, and as soon as Ginny saw him, tears came to her eyes and an image of Ron and an unknown boy, somewhat chubby with blond hair, appeared in her mind. There was blood everywhere and she shivered.

"Something wrong, Ginny?" Percy asked her. "You seem scared..."

She smiled to him. "I remembered a nightmare, but I'm okay."

Percy smiled and produced a gift from behind him.

"Well, that's good," he told her. "We wouldn't want you to be scared of your own shadow during your birthday, would we?"

She hugged him and took the small box from his hands, ripping through the blue paper, waiting to see the contents.

"Percy!" she exclaimed happily when she saw the brass bracelet with a broom charm hanging on it. She remembered when Percy caught her one night after taking out George's broom from the shed and she told him how she was learning to fly during the nights because George, Fred and Ron never let her play with them. The charm, with no doubts, was a great present and it would always remind her she could trust in Percy.

"Thank you! I promise I won't mock you again for being so boring!"

Her brother frowned, but his eyes were smiling. She put on the bracelet and they started breakfast.

"'appy bir'ay, Ginny," said Ron, his mouth full of food. "I didn't get you anything, but you can have my poster of the Chuddley Cannons versus the Holyhead Harpies."

Ginny, amazed at the generous act of her brother, smiled. "Thank you, Ron. I won't laugh about you, either."

Percy chuckled and Mrs. Weasley smiled at her children's antics.

"Are you ready for the party, Ginny?" asked Mrs. Weasley, making Ginny look down.

"It's not a party, mum," she said, causing Mrs. Weasley to wipe the smile away from her face.

"Well, either way, your friends are coming over and you will have fun with them. And I will bake a cake for you."

The breakfast was silent after that, and Ginny felt a little guilty about reminding her mother they were too poor to host a proper party, like tradition demanded. She'd apologize later.

"Happy birthday, Ginny!" yelled the twins, causing her and her mother to smile again. At least for a while.

* * *

That night, Ginny was more than tired. The little reunion with her friends had been a success thanks to her mother's strawberry cake and treacle tart, along with the honeydew mint ice pops Percy made for her.

Her friends had a good time playing chess against Ron, enjoying the twins jokes and Fay even got a blush when Percy agreed to supervise them while they flew around in her brother's brooms.

The gifts they gave her were also great, with Hannah's being the best. She gave her a sewing starter set and a book with some techniques, knowing how much Ginny liked to repair and reinvent her mother's old clothes that went to her as she grew. Luna gave her a silver chain with a single pearl hanging from it, and said it was to protect her against some creature or other. Finally, Fay gave her a pair of Chaser gloves she got her brother to buy on Diagon Alley.

Ginny hugged them all and thanked her for everything before saying goodbye. Hannah's mother apparated to collect her, Fay went trough the Floo, and Luna stayed a few more minutes.

"You're not the same Ginny, are you?" she asked, dreamy as always but with a serious voice. "You're the same as always, but something's different. I don't know if the pearl can protect her against that."

Ginny frowned. The dream was in her mind again.

"I don't know."

Luna just smiled at her answer. "That's okay," she told Ginny. "When you are sure of who you are, just tell me so I don't confuse you with someone else."

And with a hug, Luna stepped into the fireplace, leaving Ginny to think about her words.

"Am I really another person?"

* * *

Ginny Potter saw everything from Ginny Weasley's point of view. She remembered that day. At any moment, a gift from both Charlie and Bill would come by owl and her mother would throw a fit about her little girl wearing baby dragon fangs as earrings.

Ginny Potter smiled, and decided to sleep. She could wait a few more months before starting the rest of the process; she would let her younger self be happy.

* * *

Ginny didn't know why she felt as if some part of her mind were hiding itself from her, as if she needed to remember something she forgot.

Weeks passed and the sensation increased, but never to the point of not letting her continue with her chores and hobbies. Her mother assigned her extra reading that year after learning that Ron hadn't been getting the grades she was hoping for, and so Ginny found herself learning and learning about many things. Some things she loved, and some she hated (why would anyone want to learn how to turn a turtle into a tea pot?), but she knew every bit of knowledge would help her to become the witch she wanted to be.

One night, after the lesson on identifying flowers and their meanings, Ginny felt something wake up inside her.

And then gross and gory images came to her mind, mixing reality and fantasy. She felt her head explode and wanted to scream, but no sound came from her mouth until a soft sob, almost an hour later.

Ginny Potter? Ginny Weasley? She remembered Luna's advice, and when she went to sleep, with a headache and memories of a future that had not come yet, she tried to figure out who she was.

* * *

**Hello, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this little prologue to (yet another) time travel story. I found too few stories of Ginny traveling to the past alone, and decided to write one. Any advice you give is welcome, just remember: the reasons Future!Ginny had for traveling back ****_will_**** be explained later.**


	2. Neither and Both

Chapter 1. Neither and Both

* * *

In a dark place, many years away from the sleeping form of Ginny Weasley, two witches covered themselves with only a small blanket. If they got too warm, they would fall asleep and these times required for alertness.

"Do you think she did it?" asked the younger witch.

Hermione sighed. She knew Ginny's power could have gotten her to the time she needed to be, but the details of the ritual, created by Luna and herself, asked for the traveling mind to rest for a long time. They had estimated a year, but it could easily take more than that.

"She's the only one of us who could accomplish that," answered Hermione, not easing Luna's worries, but preventing her from getting more.

The silence in the room enveloped them, and Luna's hand reached for Hermione's.

"I miss her," she said. "I miss Ginny and I miss my Rolf and Neville and Harry and Ron."

Luna's voice turned childish at the end, tears coming to her eyes. Hermione got closer and put an arm around her shoulders.

"I know," she told her. "I miss them too. That's why we're doing this."

Luna nodded, but her tears still wet Hermione's blouse.

"Ginny will make it, Luna."

And even if she had doubts concerning the ritual, Hermione still believed Ginny could do it. She understood more than any of them how much they lost with the war.

A bitter memory of the day Ron and Harry came home with letters on her hands. Letters from the Ministry, to their children. She remembered the solemn face on James and the scared look in Hugo's and Albus' faces. How Rose and Lily cried at the sight of their fathers and brothers leaving with many more wizards to fight a war that was already lost.

She recalled Rose's tears when she asked what they did to the muggles. Hermione didn't answer.

Wizards and witches hid their powers from muggles until technology didn't allow for it anymore, trying to protect themselves. Up until the point when muggles claimed the right to throw all magical beings from their lands (forcefully, if needed), Hermione hadn't understood what the purebloods preached all those times when they said muggles would be their demise. Now she understood, at the cost of her husband.

Thankfully, Hugo was still alive. Fighting the muggles and their powerful weapons, but still alive. Harry, Neville and even Luna's husband, Rolf, hadn't been seen or heard of in three weeks. James and Albus Potter were alive, too.

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment. Rose and Lily would wake up at any moment and she would have to explain to Lily why her mother wasn't there.

"Mother?" she heard Lorcan's voice from upstairs and Luna immediately got up, dried her tears and went to her ten year old son.

Hermione followed her example. Another day of hiding.

"For all of us, Ginny," she whispered. "Do it for all of us."

* * *

Ginny woke up in her old room in the Burrow. She took a look around and smiled bitterly. This was the year she would be possessed by a piece of Voldemort's soul. She sighed and covered her face with her hands. They hadn't planned anything; she had thought this wouldn't even work, but she had to try it.

Now here she was in her younger body, covered by the quilt she and her mother made when she was seven years old. What would she do? She couldn't tell anyone, but she needed Hermione's intelligence and Luna's wise words.

Luna.

The day of her birthday reunion she had known something was different about her. Now, with all her memories of the future with her, and the changes in her attitude and everything... Luna would surely notice.

Ginny sighed again, but let her worries behind. Right now, she had to get on with her day: the first day she would have her brothers back from Hogwarts, which meant a lot of cleaning from the unused rooms and buying food from town.

She set out a pair of burgundy shorts that had belonged to Ron a couple of years ago, and left on her bed a green shirt that had been Percy's favourite. She showered and brushed her hair, doing it up in a simple ponytail that would keep her face free of hair while cleaning.

After breakfast, she convinced her mother to let her go to town first, with Luna Lovegood, to buy food for a fortnight.

Mrs. Weasley hesitated.

"I know how to pick the best with the money we have, mum," Ginny said with a smile. "Don't worry, I won't waste any money."

After her daughter's reassuring, Mrs. Weasley agreed and Ginny called Luna by Floo.

"Hello, Not-Quite-Ginny," was the greeting she got when Luna saw her. "Isn't it a beautiful day?"

Ginny smiled. At least, Luna was still the same, even if she hadn't grown to be the strong woman and mother she would be.

"Hey, Luna," she said smiling. "Mum is sending me to the market at town. Would you like to come with me?"

Luna nodded and left a note for her father saying she would be back soon.

"Daddy won't be up for another hour," Luna said once she had Flooed to the Burrow and both girls were on their way. "He was awake until three in the morning because he thought a Dialga was around here."

Ginny said nothing, knowing fully well how most of the creatures Luna talked about were not real. Her Luna, the one from her time, had had a hard time accepting it, but she had realised it.

"But I didn't want to wait with him," Luna continued. "If Dialga is around, it has to do with you not being you."

Ginny stopped in the middle of the narrow road.

"You were right, Luna," she told her. "I'm not quite myself."

Luna nodded.

"I come from the future, Luna," Ginny said, grabbing Luna's hand and waiting for a reaction.

Not so surprisingly, Luna smiled. "I knew you were not quite yourself," she said. "Why are you back? Do I find a snorkack in the future?"

Ginny giggled a bit. "Not exactly a snorkack, but you do find many interesting creatures."

Luna jumped in emotion, twirling and letting her hair flow around her, but quickly subdued herself.

"I now have something good about the future, but I know that you didn't come to tell me that," Luna said. "Why did you come back, Ginny?"

A bitter look in Ginny's eyes made Luna hug her, the basket in Ginny's hand forgotten for a moment.

"It's okay, Ginny," reassured Luna. "Whatever it is, we'll make it better."

Ginny's warm brown eyes were full of tears, but determination filled them. Luna was right. She came to try and fix the mess of the muggles and she would do so.

"It will be difficult, Luna," she warned. "Voldemort will come back, but that will be nothing compared to what follows him."

A solemn nod was Luna's response.

"The muggles discovered us, Luna, and they succeeded in destroying at least a half of us. They killed thousands, and are still going on about it."

The memories of the first announcement by the muggle government were in Ginny's mind. They had taken a little girl with the looks of a Smith all about her, and presented her as evidence of the crime of sorcery. Ginny closed her eyes and grimaced.

"We'll change that, Not-Quite-Ginny," said Luna and embraced her in another hug. "We'll be more careful and we'll hide better."

Ginny nodded and they continued their trip, talking about other things and not mentioning the future again. She had agreed with Luna's option, but what future-Hermione, future-Luna and she had in mind was more proactive than just hiding.

She couldn't believe herself, but she would not keep the naive ideals of her family. Instead, Ginny would try to let everyone know how much of a danger the muggles were and she would do as much as she could to convince her family (specially her father) of that.

* * *

Her brothers arrived quite into the evening and she was already dead tired to receive them, but she hadn't seen them in so long...

For the first time since 1998, she would see Fred. For the first time in almost a year, she would see Ron.

It was hard to not to run towards them and hug them, but she controlled herself. They were alive, healthy and fine and she had to keep her secrets from them. Tears in her eyes were acceptable; Molly Weasley-like hugs were not.

"I'm glad you're back, Ron, Fred, George," she said. "It was boring without you around."

Ron was surprised at her words, but Fred and George only started mocking her for missing her big, protective brothers and how they would spend more quality time with their little princess.

After that, she stole Mrs. Weasley's wand and cast a Bat-Bogey Hex towards the twins just as her mother, father and Percy came into the room.

"Ron, we need to talk to you."

The serious voice of her father told her it was about the incident with the Philosopher's Stone. She remembered how Fred, George and her tried to hear what they were talking about, but she couldn't remember more than Ron's punishment for involving himself in those kind of things.

This time, however, she already knew everything she needed to know about the whole deal with the Stone. Instead, she stayed in the kitchen and heated some of the leftovers from dinner so her brothers could eat.

Surprisingly, Percy approached her.

"It's strange that you are not with the twins trying to hear what mum and dad have to say."

She hesitated, but quickly composed herself. Percy had always been more observant than anyone in the family gave him credit for. Ginny shrugged.

"I hope you learn from this, Ginny," Percy said. "If Ron and his friends had gone to an adult with their suspicions he wouldn't have gotten hurt."

Ginny wanted to tell him how they did try to warn Dumbledore and McGonagall to no avail, but she said nothing.

"I... I'll keep it in mind," she said and Percy nodded.

"There is a strong probability of me being elected Head Boy next year, Ginny," he said, not quite hiding the pride on his voice. "But even if I'm only a prefect, you can come to me if you have any trouble."

Ginny smiled and nodded. He had told her exactly the same once before, but the diary convinced her that no one would listen to her and she didn't tell her brother.

She wondered for a moment, what would have happened had she told Percy of the diary? Either way, that didn't matter anymore because she wouldn't allow the same to happen again.

The Chamber of Secrets would not be opened by her, and if she could prevent it, not by anyone else.

* * *

The weeks went by quickly and soon, Harry Potter was in her house, sleeping in Ron's room, being blinded by the orange mess of everything in there.

Instead of putting her elbow in the butter dish, she smiled to Harry and welcomed him to his second home (no matter what, she knew Harry would always view Hogwarts as his home). To spite Ron, she started a conversation with Harry about the subjects at Hogwarts and the professors.

It was hard for Ginny to have a younger Harry there, because even if she knew they had grown to love each other, here they were only a pair of children who had just met.

She had thought of the paradoxes before, but watching Harry eat treacle tart with as much enthusiasm as James Sirius did changed everything. Her children would not be the same this time. She didn't even know if Harry would grow to love her or if Ron would marry Hermione.

But this wasn't just for her and her family. This was for the whole wizarding population of Britain and the world. This was more important than her wishes, but Ginny wouldn't let her duty get in the way of her happiness.

So, instead of keeping that line of thoughts, she focused on enjoying her family and Harry.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy was not a wizard to be meddled with. He had power, lineage and a vengeful attitude towards anyone who dared point at his family with bad intentions. Arthur Weasley, for example.

It wasn't as if he didn't respect the ministry worker. He had to at least give him a bit of recognition for being able enough to deal with muggles and preserving them without the knowledge of magic.

He would never admit it, much less to Weasley, but his job was part of why they still were safely hidden away from the muggles and he respected him for that.

But he wouldn't let this transgression go unpunished.

The raiding of his ancestral home, the manor built by the grandfather of his grandfather, was nothing to him. No matter how much they looked for, he only had a handful of dark artefacts that he needed to hide or sell and nobody would find anything.

What angered him was the thought of someone invading his privacy just because some blood traitor thought he was hiding something. He was right, of course, but that didn't matter.

He entered the room where he kept the only dark artefact he wouldn't sell.

He touched the leather bound diary the Dark Lord had entrusted him with, and his mind immediately knew what he would do.

Surely, one of the Weasley kids would not mind having a diary to express their feelings.

* * *

The day of the Diagon Alley's visit came sooner than Ginny remembered. She woke up excited and a little scared. If something, even the tiniest thing, changed, the diary wouldn't go to her and someone else would get it. If it were any of her brothers, she would know, but what if Lucius Malfoy decided to give it to some Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff?

She decided to go with the day as close as the last time, which meant not acting up on something she could need or someone she needed to talk to. She would let her parents direct her actions as much as she could so they were at the right place and time.

And she did. After laughing at Harry's misspoken words and how he ended up in Knockturn Alley (lucky him, who got to know the forbidden place, had said Ron), they finally got to the book store.

She couldn't believe how much of an idiot was Gilderoy Lockhart and started thinking about starting the D.A. sooner than Harry had done. Of course, she would need someone older than her, because even if she had the knowledge of the spells, her younger body didn't have the magic to do them.

Leaving those thoughts to another time, she got closer to Harry and Draco just as Lucius Malfoy got into the book store.

Thankfully, and shamefully, everything happened just like the last time and she ended up with the diary. For the rest of the day, she allowed herself to be a happy child gathering stuff for Hogwarts.

With a grin on her face, Ginny convinced her mother to let them go and get ice-cream for everyone. She agreed and they all had a good time, especially when she spotted Fay Dunbar and dragged her to the table where her family was sitting.

Turned out that Hermione and Fay hadn't spoken to each other since the night of the sorting, but in the middle of a debate on the best flavour of ice-cream (in which Florean's Chocolate Sundae won), they discovered how much they had in common in spite of being so different.

When they got back home, Ginny went to sleep with a smile on her face. The diary could wait in her trunk until morning came.


	3. Part of Me

Chapter 2: Part of Me.

* * *

The travel to King's Cross was as rushed and fun as Ginny remembered every Weasley travel to be. When her own children went to Hogwarts, much of the same happened even if they were only three instead of five. Before anyone could see her tears at thinking of her kids, Ginny wiped them away.

For them, she thought, I'm doing it for Harry, James, Albus, Lily... And for everyone else.

Spending the last weeks of summer with her family had been a blessing, but after retrieving the diary she had many things in her mind. Nobody would open the Chamber of Secrets, but what would she do with the cursed thing? Harry had told her how Dumbledore discovered everything about the Horcruxes thanks to Tom's diary, but Ginny didn't know if telling the Headmaster was the right thing to do.

She smiled fondly at watching Percy scold Ron for almost losing Scabbers in the multitude and remembered her brother's advice. Would it be wise to involve Percy in everything? As much of a git he was at this age, he was still her brother and the only one who really understood the treath muggles were for them. Deciding to think about it later, she focused on Scabbers then.

Accidentaly killing the rat would get her nothing, but how could she present it to be more than a rat without arising suspicion?

Ginny sighed.

She should have planned it better with Hermione and Luna before coming back. Maybe then she would have had the chance to say goodbye to her little girl. A sob almost came to her throat, but Ginny repressed it. She would be strong. Still, walking with a smile towards were Luna and Fay were sitting was hard.

"Hello, Mrs. Ginny," greeted Luna in her usual self. "I hope Celebi grants your wish this time."

Luna smiled and greeted them, glad that everyone there knew of Luna's eccentricities and asked nothing about her greeting.

"We were just saying how much I'd love to have you with me this year, Ginny," said Fay. "While Hermione and I have been exchanging letters, I know we are not meant to be the best of friends."

Ginny smiled to Fay, knowing fully well how the girl felt about her roomates. Hermione was always with Ron and Harry, Lavender and Parvati were inseparable and the other girl, Beatrix Waynewood, was always joining her friends at Ravenclaw. During her first year, Ginny had felt as isolated as Fay, but having Tom sweetening her life with his words made her forget everyone but him. It wouldn't be the same this year.

"That's it," she told Fay. "if I even get into Gryffindor. Just imagine me, Ginevra Weasley, the first Weasley in Slytherin."

The two girls laughed at her, not knowing how the Hat had wanted her in the green and silver house the first time she was sorted. After the years passed and she told her family that fact during a Yule dinner, they had all laughed and told her how every one of her brothers had been the same, except for Charlie who had almost been sorted into Hufflepuff.

"Hey girls!" said the cheery voice of Hannah Abbott, who entered the compartment with a redheaded witch Ginny knew to be Susan Bones. In the DA, she had loved spending time with Susan because of her gentle attitude and witty tongue.

With her friends, Ginny felt safe for the first time since coming back in time. This were the girls with whom she could start her 'hate for the muggles' campaign: purebloods who were not prejudiced, but would take the muggle threats seriously.

But that could wait for a few months, maybe even a year. This time around, Ginny would live her first year at Hogwarts as it should have been in her past life.

* * *

"What do you mean my mum is gone?" asked a teary eyed Lily Luna to her Aunt and Godmother. "First my father and brothers, and now my mum has left me, too?"

Hermione and Luna looked at each other in concern. Lily had been a thirteen year old girl when the Wizarding World went to war, and even though she understood what needed to be done, it was harder for her than it had been for fifteen year old Rose or even for Luna's younger twins.

"You know how hard everyone is fighting, Lily," Hermione tried to explain. "Your mother is a fighter who is doing everything she can to help us in the best way. She's the only one who can do this."

Lily looked at her with puffy eyes and tears. A hint of Ginny was visible through her Potter features, and all Hermione could see there was anger.

"My mother left me," she repeated, her voice trembling over her wrath and tears. "She might do the best for the world we live on, but she left her daughter behind."

And with those words, Lily Luna went up to her bedroom and stayed there for the rest of the day.

Luna put a hand on Hermione's shoulders as she sighed.

"She's willful, but she'll understand," said Luna. "We were her age when everything at the Department of Mysteries happened and we were strong, but then again, we had been living without parents for a long time by then. It might be normal for us to think only of the greater good, but our children have been pampered their whole life. Lily most than the others."

Hermione knew it was true, but that didn't make it easier.

* * *

Percy had noticed something about his little sister: she was quite different from the girl he left at home last year. At first he thought it was just Ginny growing up, but her attitudes were way too different and unpredictable. One minute she could be sitting with their mother talking about baking and the other she could be pestering the twins or Ron to learn things about Hogwarts that Perfect Percy (as she now used to call him) could have missed.

Ginny was not like that.

While she never hated cooking and baking, it was clear her interest was in Quidditch and running around the gardens. And Ginny would have never asked Ron for advice on Hogwarts. They were close, sure, but not close enough for Ginny to trust Ron's tales.

But the most clear change from all, was that Ginny now looked at their father with fear. Percy knew it wasn't fear of him, but of what could happen to him. She began asking all kinds of questions about what would he do if muggles were ever to find out he was a wizard while he worked near them. She never looked satisfied with their father's answers and Percy began to suspect her sister was more like him than he had thought before.

That was because Percy himself used to warn his father to be careful around the muggles ever since his girlfriend, beautiful Penelope Clearwater, told him about how muggles were able to record what happened at any time provided they had the machines they needed. And according to Penelope, those devices were trendy, which meant many muggles had them.

It was dangerous for every wizard and witch to go to muggle places and use magic, and Ginny was starting to notice that as well.

Percy could have said it was a good thing, but somehow, he knew it wasn't. Ginny's fear was greater than his, and Percy guessed she had good reasons for that. And those reasons were what made Ginny different from before.

They were about to get to Hogwarts, and as Percy did the last of his rounds in the train, he thought of how he would not see his little sister as much. He would have to trust Ginny to come to him if she ever needed anything.

* * *

Upon arriving at Hogwarts and watching the Castle as she had first met it, Ginny shed a tear. It wasn't weird, after all, because officially it was the first time she saw the magnificent school and it really was an overwhelming sight. Images of that last battle with the Death Eaters and Voldemort made her shudder, but a sense of victory washed over her at the same time. They had defeated evil, back then. They could do it again.

She was ecstatic when Professor McGonagall led the forty-something kids towards the Great Hall and couldn't supress a smile.

"Is the Castle so magical, that you smile like that even if you are really a wrinkly adult?" asked Luna in a whisper and Ginny giggled.

Luna had no idea of everything they had lived in that Castle, good and bad. Ginny hoped they would get more of the good times this time around.

"When I call your name, you will step forward and place the Hat on your head," said Professor McGonagall and began to call the first years. It was a long wait until her turn, and she already knew where her classmates will go, so Ginny looked around.

For the first time, she noticed that neither Harry or Ron were present and giggled again. They should already be with Snape, who wasn't at the table either. She imagined her brother and Harry being lectured by a big bat before being extracted from her thoughts by Professor McGonagall.

"Weasley, Ginevra."

With confidence, Ginny stepped forward. Most of the people of the Hall were dying to eat something and Ginny didn't blame them for wanting her to hurry: everyone knew Weasleys always went to Gryffindor.

But you are not an ordinary Weasley, are you?, said the Hat as soon as she put it on her head. A Slytherin through and through by the looks of this personality, little miss Weasley. Wouldn't you want to be there, to reach your full potential?

Ginny tilted her head to a side. If she went to Slytherin, everyone would think her a bigot when she started her campaign against muggles. If she went to Gryffindor, people would listen to her.

I think this time, you are right, miss. Leaders are made in Gryffindor and you will need to go there to shape yourself into one.

And with that, the Hat yelled Gryffindor for all to hear and Ginny grinned. Yes, she would become a leader, just like Harry would, just like Neville would. Harry would lead them against Voldemort, Neville agains prejudice and her against extinction.

* * *

Her first months of classes went like leaves in the autumn wind, which was appropriate given that the weather soon turned the leaves red and golden and brown, showering the Castle with beautiful displays of color. Ginny felt herself smile thinking of how much James Sirius went on and on about autumn colors until she found out he was actually talking about Abigail Smith's brown hair, golden eyes and red lips. Her eldest boy had been as in love with the girl as his grandfather was with Lily Evans. For a single moment, a part of Ginny regreted being there and wished to be with her daughter.

As she watched the leaves fall, Ginny wondered if she would ever tire of thinking about the children she left behind, and the answer came quickly, hurting her heart. Yes, she would. As time passed, she would begin to merge with past-Ginny again, forgetting everything about the future that she came from. She only hoped to change the world before time changed her.

And for that, she needed her education.

Casting a _Tempus_, Ginny saw she had only ten minutes to get to her next class and ran towards McGonagall's classroom.

When she got there, the Professor was staring at the alumni in her cat form. Suddenly, Ginny had an idea about Wormtail. If this was the lesson on identifying an animagus, she would have an excuse to her knowledge of Scabbers being Peter Pettigrew. Asking question after question to the Professor, Ginny got her attention and was told to wait after class.

"I might know of an unregisted animagus, Professor," she said with an innocent and fearful voice. "I think Scabbers, Ron's rat, might be one. He has lived too long and he reacts to our words like an intelligent being would."

And that night, when Ginny went to sleep, she did so with a smile. By this time tomorrow, Sirius Black would be given a trial, according to Madam Bones (who had been impressed with her deduction and observation skills and told her to keep on like that).

"Miss Weasley," said Professor Dumbledore after the Ministry workers had gone away by Floo. "You have lived your whole life knowing of Sirius Black and his crime, but your friend Mr. Potter does not know."

Ginny nodded warily. Was the Headmaster asking her to keep the secret of his godfather from Harry? She would not do so.

"I would appreciate if you could send him to me so I can explain him who Mr. Black is and what we thought he did."

Ginny actually smiled in relief, but hid her excitement once she figured out Dumbledore was looking at her knowingly. She said her goodbyes and went away, finding Harry, Ron and Hermione waiting for her at the Common Room.

Ron had wanted to know what happened to Scabbers and she explained it as best as she could, noticing how Ron paled and glanced at Harry when she told them about Sirius Black being freed.

"But who is Sirius Black, and what does he have to do with this Peter?" asked Harry.

Ginny smiled sadly.

"Professor Dumbledore wants to explain that himself, Harry," she told him and he went to the Headmaster's office.

Ginny didn't see him again that day, but she figured out he had lots of things on his mind.

She did, too, because she had just made the first big change of this timeline and she didn't know what would follow, but she hoped it was a good thing.

* * *

When Ginny Weasley looked at him in relief, Dumbledore suspected something was not right. As a friend of a Dark Wizard and teacher of many years, Dumbledore had learned how to know what people didn't tell. It had served him well when Tom Riddle went to school, but Dumbledore had been too late to save him.

Now, the littlest Weasley was acting strange and showing more knowledge that she should have.

It wasn't the fact of identifying Scabbers as an animagus, but the barely noticeable shadows in her eyes. Those were eyes that had seen too much.

Would it be possible if...?

It was then that Albus Dumbledore did something he almost never did (anymore). Taking out a long pipe from his left drawer and some Halflings' Leaf, he smoked until a little bell rang. He hid the pipe, cleared the air, made sure his beard was fine and then heard a knock at the door.

"Come in, Mr. Potter," he said.

When the boy came in with a confused look on his face, Dumbledore regreted everything he had ever done wrong to the boy, from the Dursley's to the Stone. But it had to be that way. Now, though, he had a chance to make amends. To the boy, to Lily and James, and to Sirius.

"Sit down, Harry," said Dumbledore. "This will be a long conversation."

And leaving the thoughts of Ginny Weasley for another time, Dumbledore focused on doing what was right for a little boy instead of plotting for the greater good.


End file.
